Emmy Ruling Goes ‘to the Moon’: It Is a Miniseries

“Emmys, we have a problem.”

In a decision that has put the group that presents the Emmy Awards squarely at odds with the major networks that televise them, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ruled that “From the Earth to the Moon”--Home Box Office’s 12-hour docudrama about the space program--can be considered for the Emmy as outstanding miniseries.

Senior executives at CBS, NBC, ABC and the USA cable network recently wrote the academy, vigorously objecting to the program’s eligibility in that category rather than the one for best drama series. They cited such issues as the use of different directors on each installment and the project’s format, which explores different episodes in the space program as opposed to following a single story in linear fashion.

At a meeting Wednesday evening, the academy determined the program is eligible as a miniseries and refuted the network claims, relying in part on historical precedent. The organization pointed out that the epic miniseries “Roots” used four directors (10 worked on “From the Earth to the Moon”) and that the HBO entry meets the requirement that miniseries have “continuity of production supervision” because executive producer Tom Hanks served as “the guiding force behind the entire project.”

Although network officials declined comment Thursday, sources said various retaliatory measures are being weighed. The most strident options mentioned include legal action, declining to submit their own miniseries for Emmy consideration and even establishing a rival awards show that would potentially undermine the Emmys.

It has even been suggested that the four major networks balk at extending their existing contract to broadcast the Emmys, which are nearing the end of a deal in which the telecast has rotated among them. NBC will televise the next ceremony in September.

Should the networks follow that approach, various cable networks, including HBO, have made it clear that they would be eager to televise the awards; however, such an occurrence would mean that the industry’s foremost self-congratulatory showcase wouldn’t be available to homes that don’t subscribe to cable, a scenario that most involved would like to avoid.

Still, the networks have grown increasingly frustrated with HBO’s dominance in certain Emmy categories, as the pay channel--which generally spends at least twice as much to produce a film as the broadcast networks do--has claimed outstanding movie honors five consecutive years.

Sources say NBC and CBS have been especially vocal regarding the latest controversy, claiming that the academy has been “manipulated” by HBO. An HBO spokeswoman responded when the complaints first arose that “From the Earth to the Moon” clearly fulfilled all miniseries criteria and that network objections were “ludicrous.”

HBO spent $68 million to produce the docudrama.